USP lockdown ends

The lockdown at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth ended Wednesday as had been expected, a prison spokesman said.

John Richmeier

The lockdown at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth ended Wednesday as had been expected, a prison spokesman said.

Thomas Sheldrake, public information officer for the USP, said the inmates went on work call Wednesday morning and things were back to normal. Inmates initially had been confined to their cells during the lockdown.

The federal prison went on lockdown status at about 5:15 p.m. Sunday following a fight earlier in the day at the recreation yard and a subsequent altercation in one of the housing units. Two inmates suffered minor injuries.

Sheldrake said the initial fight was the result of a disrespect issue over a basketball game and the second incident was in retribution.

Sheldrake said the inmates who were involved have been placed in a special housing unit pending an investigation and disciplinary action.While they were initially confined to their cells, inmates at the USP were allowed out of the cells Tuesday but were still confined to their housing units during the lockdown.

All programs at the USP were suspended during the lockdown.The lockdown impacted only the inmates at the main prison on the USP grounds. The neighboring camp had maintained normal operations, according to Sheldrake.

The USP also was placed on lockdown in late September. That lockdown lasted several days.

That earlier lockdown was reported to have been put in place following three fights in a housing unit and an incident on the recreation yard. Warden Claude Maye later said it appeared the incidents were sparked by a dispute over a television.

According to Sheldrake, the housing unit involved in those earlier incidents is not the same one that was the scene of a fight Sunday.

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